Kite control



June 12, 1951 K. c. HOWARD 2,556,877

KITE CONTROL Filed June 16, 1950 KENNETH C. HOWARD ATTORNEY Patented June 12, 1951 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE KITE CONTROL Kenneth 0. Howard, Fort Worth, Tex.

Application J une 16, 1950, Serial No. 168,552

3 Claims.

This invention relates to kites, and has reference to a kite control for changing the plane of the kite relative to the length of the kite string.

An object of the invention is to increase the maneuverability of the kite and thereby create greater interest in flying the same.

A feature of the invention is to provide a rotatable control lever between the kites bridle and the main string and whereby the operator may change the relative center of lift with respect to the kites surface, and thereby cause the kite to climb, dive, or fly to one side or the other.

The invention will be more readily understood by reference to the accompanying drawings and. the following description.

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a kite, and showing one form of the present control installed between the bridle and the main string. The control is shown proportionately larger than the area of the kite to illustrate the invention to a better advantage. 3

Figure 2 is an enlarged perspective view of the control illustrated in Figure 1.

Figure 3 is an enlarged side elevation of Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a front elevation of a modified form of the invention, and

Figure 5 is a perspective view of the control arm of the form of the invention illustrated in Figure 4.

The form of the invention illustrated in Figures 1 through 3 includes an annular plate It! having forwardly directed teeth I l therearound. A shaft l2 having a head [3 on one end is rotatably positioned through the center of the plate 10. The end of the shaft l2, opposite its head I3, is longitudinally slotted, as at Hi, to pivotally receive a lateral control arm l5. The pivotal connection last referred to is carried out by means of a pin I6 positioned and secured in opposite sides of the end of the shaft l2 and through the control arm l4 intermediate the latters ends. One end of the control arm M has an integral forwardly directed projection I! having a hole l8 through which one end of the main kite string I9 is tied. An arcuate spring 20 is riveted or otherwise secured on the shaft I2 near the plate It, and is outwardly directed to bear against the end of the control arm l4 opposite the projection ll. The action of the spring 20 moves the end of the arm l4 including the string attachment hole l8 towards the teeth ll.

Beneath the string attachment hole 18 and adjacent the teeth I l there is an elongated opening X 2| in and parallel with the length of the arm I5.

A fiat ratchet pawl 22 is bent at one end, as at 23, where it is received through and is pivotally mounted in the slot 2| where it is arranged to contact the teeth I I, as shown in Figures 2 and 3. A curved leaf spring 24 is attached at one end, as by riveting, to one side of the arm projection l I and is arranged to bear against the outer surface of the pawl 22. A washer 25 is positioned around the shaft l2 and against the face of the plate ll] opposite the shaft'head l3, and which washer is held in place by means of a cotter key 25 positioned through the shaft l2. Holes 21 are formed through the edge of the plate In to receive and secure the forward ends of the bridle strings 28 of the kite 29. As in conventional kites, the bridle strings 28 converge toward a point forwardly of the kite surface 30 which is the relative center of lift, and the point at which the main string I9 is ordinarily attached. As will become apparent, the referred to relative center of lift may be varied 360 degrees for changing the altitude or angle of the kite surface 30 relative to the length of the main string l 9.

The form of the invention illustrated in Figures 4 and 5 embodies substantially the same mechanical features as the foregoing. There is an annular plate 3! having raised but inwardly directed ratchet teeth 32 around on its forward surface. The control arm 33 is journaled on the shaft 34 which projects forwardly from the center of the plate 3 l. A V-shaped spring 35 is secured on one of its sides to one end of the control arm 33 and the remaining end of said spring is arranged to contact and bear against corresponding sides of the ratchet teeth 32. There is a ratchet arm or pawl 36 also journaled on the shaft 34 and positioned between the control arm 33 and the face of the plate 3|. The outer end of the pawl 36 is alsoprovided with a V-shaped spring 35, as described, and is also arranged to engage the ratchet teeth 32 in the same manner as the first described V-shaped spring 35.

The end of the control arm 33 opposite its ate tached V-shaped spring 35 may be provided with an offset integral extension 31 for sliding contact with the surface of the plate 31. A coiled compression spring 38 is positioned around the shaft 34 and has its ends connected with the control arm 33 and the pawl 36 for normally spreading the last named parts apart. An eyelet 39 on the control arm 33 slidably receives the main kite string I 9, the end of which is tied in an opening 40 in the outer end of the pawl 36. Holes M are formed in the edge of the plate 3| to receive and secure the bridle strings 28.

The manner of operating both described forms of the invention is the same. The kite is first flown with the control arm M or 33 in its raised vertical position, so as to tilt the kite plane 30 forwardly and thereby increase the lift. After the kite is in the air the weight of the string l9 causes the same to sag and increase the forwardly tilted attitude of the kite plane 30, and in which event it becomes desirable to lower the relative point of string attachment to the bridle strings 28. This may be done by rapidly and repeatedly slackening the string 19. In the first described form of the invention the resulting tilting movement of the control arm l4, and the action of the pawl 22 on the teeth ll, causes the arm to progressively rotate around the plate I 0. Thus, any desired rotated position of the arm [4 may be attained for making the kite 29 climb, dive, or fiy to the right or left.

Similarly, the rotation of the control arm 33 of the last-described form of the invention will attain the same results. By slackening the string 19, the arm 33 and the pawl 36 are spread apart by action of the coil spring 38 andby reason of the engagement of the V-shaped springs 35 with the ratchet teeth 32. As the string 19 becomes taut, the arm 33 and pawl'36 are brought together. Thus, by repeatedly slackening the string 19, the control arm 33 may be changed to any desired rotated position.

The present invention is notlimited to the construction herein shown and described, but may be -made in many Ways within the scope of the appended claims.

What isclaimed is:

l. A kite control to be mounted between the string and thebridle of a kite, said control comprising: an annular plate having teeth circumferentially projecting therefrom, a connecting arm positioned substantially parallel with respect to the plane of said plate-and rotatably mounted within the axial center of said teeth, means connecting said kite string with said arm outwardly of said axial center of said teeth, and a spring actuated ratchet connected with said arm-and adapted to engage said teeth for carrying outthe referred to rotatable movement of said arm.

2. A kite control to be mounted between the string and the bridle of a kite, said control comprising: an annular plate having teeth therearound and projecting from one surface thereof, a shaft rotatably mounted in the axial center of said plate and projecting therefrom in the same direction as said teeth, a longitudinal slot in said projecting end of said shaft, a control arm pivotally mounted in said slot and having one end thereof positioned adjacent said teeth, a pawl pivotally connected with said arm and arranged to contact said teeth, a spring mounted on said arm and in contact with said pawl and arranged to move the latter toward said teeth, a spring mounted on said shaft and in contact with said arm and also arranged to move said pawl toward said teeth, and means connecting said string with said arm adjacent said pawl.

3..A kite control to be mounted between the string and the bridle of a kite, said control comprising: an annular .plate having inwardly di- .rected ratchet teeth around one face thereof, a

shaft projecting from the axial center of said plate and face thereof including said ratchet teeth, a control arm rotatably mounted onsaid shaft and having one end thereof disposed toward said teeth, a spring carried by said control arm andarranged to contact said teeth, a ratchet .arm .also rotatably mounted on said shaft between'saidplate and said arm, a spring carried by said pawl and arranged to contact said teeth, a compression spring connecting said arm and said pawl, means carried by the'outer endof said arm to slidably receive said kite string, and means connecting the end of said string with said pawl.

KENNETH C. HOWARD.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,431,289 Whaley Nov. 18, 1947 2,451,571 Marshall Oct. 19, 1948 

